Protestant Spiritual Traditions

In this book, Frank Senn attempts to provide a survey of spirituality in the major traditions which make up Protestantism today. He defines “spirituality” as “communion with God and the way of life which emanates from that.” The approach he takes is to solicit an essay from a representative within each tradition (with Senn providing the Lutheran perspective). This allows each tradition the ability to express its own distinct voice on the subject of spirituality.The goal is not to outline the doctrinal distinctives of each tradition, or to provide a complete history of the origination and development of each tradition, but to provide a look specifically into the approach of each with regards to prayer, faith, public worship, and private devotion. The focus for each is on the founders or key influences in each tradition to provide a view of their spirituality in its original form. The motivation for this is to provide a perspective which may call some back to their origins. Senn writes:

“The essays are offered in the conviction that Protestants and non-Protestants alike will appreciate a survey of the spiritualities which have nurtured the faith and life of so many adherents who have contributed in a formative way to Western, and especially North American, culture. At the same time it may be that many Protestants who are searching for a deeper spiritual life will find what they are looking for at home as well as abroad. It may be that what passes for the copy in current circulation betrays the original. For this reason the essays emphasize the experiences and reflections of the “founders” of these spiritual traditions – e.g Martin Luther, John Calvin, Menno Simons, Thomas Cranmer and the Anglican divines and mystics, Richard Baxter, Philip Jacob Spener, John Wesley, and others. Communities in search of renewal need to begin by returning to their origins” (5-6).

“Puritanism was spirituality. Puritans were to Protestantism what contemplative and ascetics were to the medieval church. They parted company with their medieval forbears chiefly in the locus of their efforts. Where monks sought sainthood in monasteries, Puritans sought it everywhere – in homes, schools, town halls, shops as well as churches. Sometimes knowingly, at other times unknowingly, they employed virtually the same methods monks used to obtain the same goal – “the saints' rest,” heaven, or “full and glorious enjoyment of God.” Like the monks, they were zealous of heart religion manifested in transformation of life and manners. Impatient for unreserved, enthusiastic embracing of the covenant. Everything they did, they did with solemnity and determination” (165).